Today we’d like to introduce you to Nauctica Foster.
Nauctica, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am originally from Hattiesburg, MS. I grew up in the not so fortunate areas of the city with my single mother and two younger sisters. So we were taught to make due what we had. Growing up, I always had a love for fashion and hair. In high school, I got into makeup and photography. It wasn’t until I attended the University of Southern Mississippi that I realized I really wanted to become an entrepreneur. So I majored In business marketing, I didn’t know what business I wanted to start but I knew I had To do it. Unfortunately, my time at USM was quite short. I fell extremely ill during a semester. I wasn’t able to attend any classes for weeks. Although I still did my assignments and made good grades, my attendance hindered my growth. I was faced with the option of either failing all of my classes or dropping them to ensure my gpa isn’t affected. So, of course I chose the second option. Three weeks after I made that life-changing decision, a bad flood caused my family and I to lose everything we owned. We lost our home, clothes and cars to water damage. The water took everything that my mom worked so hard to provide for my sisters and I. We stayed in hotels and with relatives for a few weeks. I watched my mother cry every night for months.
In June of 2016, I decided that I needed a break from all the turmoil that was going. I decided to come to Atlanta for the summer with a relative. I never went back to Mississippi after that summer. I knew two things I couldn’t see my mother cry anymore and I had to figure out how I was going to take care of myself while I was in Atlanta. My first week here, I got two jobs. I was working as a waitress at Burn Lounge Atl and a sales associate at the mall. While working two jobs and saving money, the idea that I needed to start my own business came back into my head. I felt as if I was in the right city. I just needed a brand.
The following year, I got pregnant with my son, Kingston. The moment I found out I was pregnant, I told myself. Now is the time! I knew I wanted my child to have more than what I did. I wanted a better life for him. Throughout the whole time I was pregnant, I was brainstorming business ideas. I tried selling hair and it just wasn’t doing it for me. Since I wasn’t working, I spent a lot of time doing my friend’s makeup and hair. That’s when it hit me! I wanted my own makeup company! I wanted my own lip glosses and lipsticks.
One thing I can say about me is when I’m passionate about something I am all the way in. I got to planning my business, the branding everything. However, the name for the company just wasn’t clicking for me.
One night a childhood memory came to me in a dream. I remembered playing outside and my mom would always have juice boxes waiting for my siblings and I. I loved those cold juice boxes just as much as I loved lip gloss. Once I realized that Juice Box Cosmetics was born and the fun began!
After, I gave birth to my son. I got to work!
Has it been a smooth road?
It has not been a smooth ride. Entrepreneurship is never easy and I’m still in the early stages. So, I could only image the road that lies ahead. Some days, I ask myself “What am I doing? Can I really do this?” My biggest problem I’ve faced so far has to be COVID 19. Due to the pandemic, a lot of my inventory was on hold for weeks. I had to refund customers. I lost so much money. I wanted to give up. I felt as if I invested so much time and money into my brand and for my customers to have to wait for weeks for orders didn’t sit well with me. I will have to say being a mother and an entrepreneur is extremely hard too. My entire existence revolves around my son. So, I really have to balance being a mom and a boss!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Juice Box Cosmetics is the beauty industry’s Newest Black Owned Luxury Makeup company. Not only do we carry top quality beauty products, we provide fun and colorful makeup at affordable prices. Our top-selling product will be our highly pigmented “Fruit Punch Palette.” I am most proud of the branding. Everything about Juice Box Cosmetics is different. Our Juice Gloss and Juice Stik comes in a Juice box! A real Juice Box. The way JBC cosmetics is marketed is outstanding! All our products are derived from my favorite juices. I am most proud of all the great feedback we are getting as a whole about our products. We are only a little over a month into the game and I know we’ll be making a BIG MARK!
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes, Atlanta is a great place for small business owners. There are so many opportunities here. So many people, who will support you and genuinely want to see you win. There are so many networking events that will help get your business out there.
Pricing:
- The Fruit Punch Palette – $35
- Juice Gloss – $17
- Juice Stik – $17
- Glow Juice (Liquid Highlighter) – $14
Contact Info:
- Website: www.juiceboxcosmetics.com
- Phone: 7704059752
- Email: shop@juiceboxcosmetics.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juiceboxcosmeticsllc/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/JuiceboxCosmetics/
Image Credit:
Frsh Branding and Design.
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